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E&C PANEL GOES OVER NORTH AMERICAN ENERGY RESOURCES: The House Energy and Commerce Committee's energy and power subcommittee meets today for the first of its series of "American Energy Security and Innovation" hearings. Today's focus: assessing North American energy resources (echoing back to a September panel hearing on achieving North American energy independence by 2020, a campaign promise of Mitt Romney). Energy Information Administration chief Adam Sieminski will be on hand to provide all the statistics a wonk could want. The hearing’s at 10 a.m. in Rayburn 2322.

Unconventional oil and gas resources are the big story of this century, oil historian Daniel Yergin will tell lawmakers. “It is notable that, owing to the long supply chains, the job impacts are being felt across the United States, including in states with no shale gas or tight oil activity,” he says in his prepared testimony. “For instance, New York State, with a ban presently in effect on shale gas development, nevertheless has benefitted with 44,000 jobs. Illinois, debating how to go forward, already registers 39,000 jobs.” http://1.usa.gov/11lCpxk

Don’t forget about climate change, Jennifer Morgan of the World Resources Institute will testify. “The United States cannot and should not make energy decisions without factoring in the risks associated with climate change. To avoid further climate impacts in the future we must lower greenhouse gas emissions by switching to clean energy and increasing energy efficiency,” she says. “Congress must work toward reaching bipartisan agreement on national energy policies that encourage more efficient energy consumption, increase the diversity of domestic energy production, maximize deployment of low-carbon energy technologies, and minimize environmental impacts throughout our energy systems.” http://1.usa.gov/Wowmlw

WYDEN’S FIRST ENR HEARING IS NATURAL GAS: Natural gas issues will be the topic of Sen. Ron Wyden’s first Energy and Natural Resources hearing with the gavel. Coincidentally, the hearing is on Tuesday, Feb. 12 — aka the day of the State of the Union. President Barack Obama spent a big chunk of time at last year’s SOTU talking about natural gas. The hearing will be 10 a.m. on Feb. 12 in Dirksen 366.

GAS SPIKES 17 CENTS IN ONE WEEK: The average price of gasoline in the U.S. spiked over the last week, jumping 17 cents to $3.52 per gallon on Monday, according to AAA. “The recent price surge has been largely the result of higher crude oil prices and the ‘rubber-banding’ of mid-continent retail gasoline prices, which fell dramatically to end the year and are now swinging back to the upside,” AAA wrote in its weekly fuel report. $3.52 is the highest ever average for the calendar date, and the 17-cent jump from last week is the biggest weekly increase in almost two years.

HOUSE SCIENCE PANEL PLANS AGENDA: The House Science Committee is holding a closed-door bipartisan “retreat” today at 2:30 p.m. in its Rayburn hearing room to plot out the panel's forthcoming legislative agenda. All three guest speakers have confirmed their attendance to the meeting: Bill Nye (the Science Guy), popular astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, and Wendy Swire, a negotiation consultant who uses steps from William Ury's "Getting to Yes/Getting Past No."

OPENING PUBLIC LANDS TO OIL, GAS DEVELOPMENT A WINDFALL, IER REPORT TO SAY: The Institute for Energy Research, a vocal critic of the Obama administration’s energy policies, is releasing a report this morning that says opening up federal land that is currently off limits to oil and gas development “would lead to broad based economic stimulus, including increasing GDP, employment, and wages.” Specifically, the report takes issue with an August 2012 Congressional Budget Office study on the benefits of opening up federal lands. The CBO report “was restricted to analyzing just one component of those benefits: lease revenues,” the report says. According to the report, other benefits include: a $32 billion increase in annual wages, a $2.7 trillion increase in federal tax revenues and 552,000 jobs annually all over the next seven years. Expect Republicans to tout the report later today.

WHITFIELD, WALDEN, LYONS HEADLINE NARUC MEETING TODAY: Day two of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners winter meeting opens today with keynotes from Energy and Commerce Reps. Greg Walden and Ed Whitfield. State Department Deputy Assistant Secretary Robert Ichord, of the agency’s Bureau of Energy Resources, will also speak. After the morning keynotes are over, Pete Lyons, DOE’s top nuclear energy official, will walk into the NARUC lion’s den to be part of a panel discussing nuclear waste issues. Despite the diversity of group’s membership, one issue that unites them (and they have the lawsuits to prove it) is their anger at the Obama administration for dismantling the Yucca Mountain project while still collecting a fee to dispose of nuclear waste. Starts at 8 a.m. at the Renaissance Hotel. Agenda: http://bit.ly/XhsOPR

THE RURAL FUROR: Lisa Jackson has a Valentine’s Day gift for President Obama: Her last day in office. The EPA chief is making Feb. 14 her last day, she tells Reuters. Jackson also named one of her biggest regrets after four years: not enough outreach to rural America, which let rumors fly. “If I were starting again, I would from day one make a much stronger effort to do personal outreach in rural America," Jackson said. "Had I known that these myths about everything from cow flatulence to spilled milk could be seen as 'The EPA is coming to get you,' I would have spent more time trying to inoculate against that." Reuters: http://reut.rs/Y606St

** A message from America's Natural Gas Alliance: Increased use of natural gas will lead to more than $60 billion in new manufacturing investments in Louisiana, according to a recently released a study by LSU professor David Dismukes. Laissez les bons temps rouler! http://bit.ly/WBHeLc **

BABBITT’S PUBLIC LANDS PLAN: Clinton-era Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt will unveil a plan to balance land conservation with energy development on public lands during a noon speech at the National Press Club. That includes using executive powers and pushing Congress on some pending bills — a plan endorsed by John Podesta, a source familiar with the speech tells ME.

MOVERS, SHAKERS

— American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers has picked up Joanne M. Shore as its chief industry analyst. Shore comes from DOE's Policy and International Affairs Office.

— Holly Bamford is the new head of NOAA's National Ocean Service, a promotion from the NOS deputy assistant administrator. The NOS deals with U.S. coastal, ocean and Great Lakes areas.

THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE: From ME’s mailbag.

— EPW ranking member David Vitter and six other GOP senators want the NRC to think long and hard before implementing some post-Fukushima safety recommendations. “We respectfully urge the NRC to take its time to make the correct regulatory changes that follow a responsible and thorough approach,” they write: http://politico.pro/VFG4n6

— New Mexico Sens. Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich want the administration to include in its budget proposal at least $255 million for cleanup at Los Alamos National Laboratory and $222 million to run the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. http://bit.ly/UT7i6W

OIL COMPANIES SPONSOR CORNYN BIRTHDAY BASH: Sen. John Cornyn is getting a BBQ birthday with a reception-slash-fundraiser at 6:30 p.m. at Hill Country in NW. Sponsors include ExxonMobil PAC, Tesoro PAC, Valero PAC and Pioneer Natural ResourceS USA. Attendance costs $1,000 for a PAC and $500 for an individual.

QUICK HITS

— The blast last Thursday that killed 37 people at Pemex's headquarters in Mexico City was caused by a build-up of gas, likely methane, officials say. Reuters: http://reut.rs/14O2DqZ

— Xcel Energy is seeking proposals for as much as 200 megawatts of wind energy by April 1 to take advantage of the extended wind PTC, even though the company doesn't poject needing more wind power until 2017. Pioneer Press: http://bit.ly/Y6oFii

— Speaking of Xcel, Beyoncé will perform at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul in July, the Star Tribune writes: http://bit.ly/XHfxS9

** A message from America's Natural Gas Alliance: We believe in a clean energy future. Natural gas is a cleaner energy choice and a key partner to solar and wind technologies. From California to Florida, natural gas facilities are working with renewable energy to ensure steady, affordable and cleaner energy choices for communities across our nation. Because it is an abundant and affordable energy source available right here in America, natural gas can help make the promise of cleaner energy a reality in more American communities. Natural gas is smarter power today. Visit anga.us to learn more. **